


Of Masks, Magic, & Falling In Love

by flintwoodandco



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Affection, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Banter, Character Analysis, Enemies to Lovers, Falling In Love, Gift Fic, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Violence, Saving the World
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:56:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29006430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flintwoodandco/pseuds/flintwoodandco
Summary: Marcus Flint is Spectre, a reluctant protector of the world.Amongst the chaos of being a superhero, hiding his identity while being a rugby player, Marcus also has to deal with his rival, Oliver Wood and not strangling the man every chance he gets.As if his life couldn't get anymore off-balance, there's his predicament with Illusion, another superhero that Marcus finds himself liking a little too much.What's a hero to do?
Relationships: Marcus Flint/Oliver Wood
Comments: 1
Kudos: 30





	Of Masks, Magic, & Falling In Love

When the call for heroes echoed around the world, Marcus ran.

For years he only had to worry about himself, managing his powers on his own. The weight of the world was terrifying and Marcus wasn’t ready to let everyone down. It was easy to hide really. With his questionable past, nobody sought him out. Nobody but Illusion. 

Marcus didn’t know where to start with him. Illusion was a loud, excitable hero, ready to help at a moment’s notice, jumping headfirst into danger. It had been an accident that they met. Marcus had stumbled onto a villain’s lair and, well, he couldn’t just let them get away with their nefarious plot. Identity be damned, Marcus jumped into the fire and managed to catch the villain by surprise. Of course, with invisibility powers, Marcus could catch an attentive watch dog off-guard. The situation was under control, but then Illusion and his many clones popped up, almost sending everything into chaos. 

By the end, Marcus simply fled. It was the only option, it seemed, and Marcus didn’t want to be dragged into the league of superheroes. Especially not by one such as Illusion. 

Eventually time caught up with him and Marcus reluctantly joined the battalion though not without his conditions. He worked alone, took on missions he knew he could handle.

When he wasn’t working, Marcus found his solace in rugby. Out in the field, he didn’t need his powers. His strength, wit and skill, led him to victory without fail. Well, almost without fail.

The thorn in his side, Oliver Wood, was forever a challenge to be reckoned with. None of Marcus’ tricks worked against him and as soon as Marcus tried something new, there was Oliver blocking him.

“How about you try playing like your life depends on it?” Oliver called from the opposite side of the field. 

It was rich words coming from an ordinary human like him. Marcus had risked life and limb, always sleeping with one eye open for the sake of humanity. 

Gritting his teeth, Marcus grabbed his passes, found his opening. He would show Oliver once and for all who owned the rugby field. Oliver came closer and closer as Marcus charged towards him. He was almost there before all went white.

Marcus didn’t make the winning score.

Oliver’s team had one-upped his own yet again, leaving Marcus in a state of loathing. If only he could give Oliver a taste of his own medicine. Semi-finals were coming up and no doubt Marcus’ team would have to face Oliver’s again. Redemption was so close, yet ages away, driving Marcus to practice harder and longer every minute he could. 

It was only when his teammates worried about him that Marcus scaled back, giving in to an invitation of drinks at a local pub. 

The evening went on well enough until familiar faces appeared and the tension in the air grew thick. With two rivalry rugby teams staring each other down, the pub owner was quick to threaten banning both teams unless they agreed to get along on the premise. 

At this, Oliver beamed, wrapping an arm around Marcus’ shoulder. “We’ll get along fine, won’t we, Flint?”

Marcus grit his teeth and weakly attempted to throw Oliver off. “Like hell we will.”

Oliver’s smile did not falter and he remained by Marcus’ side as the two teams accepted their fates with grumbles and snarky remarks. 

“Come now,” Oliver shook his head as he took a sip from his drink. “Don’t tell me you haven’t been dying to talk to someone about the game between Westchester and Fairmeadow.”

Marcus’ face gave him away and Oliver dove in, pointing out certain plays, the end result of the game. 

“Well, Charles really should have dodged Blythe’s tackle,” Marcus slurred, now more than a few drinks in. 

Oliver’s laugh filled his ears, a strange fuzzy warmth overcoming Marcus. “You on a first name basis with ol’ Charley?”

“You’ve got the nickname for him,” Marcus retorted, jabbing a finger at Oliver. 

Oliver hummed in return, his body swaying dangerously close to Marcus’. “And perhaps more than that.”

It didn’t take long for Marcus to put two and two together and he smirked, looking Oliver dead in the eye. “You looking to sleep around with all the rugby captains then?”

“Mm, perhaps,” Oliver grinned with a coy sip from his drink. 

Marcus blamed the alcohol, but what happened next was a memory that was never far from his daily thoughts from then on. 

He leaned in, grabbing Oliver by the back of the head and planting a sloppy kiss on his lips. Oliver was quick to reciprocate and before Marcus knew it, he was being dragged out of the pub and into the quiet streets. 

“Thought you didn’t like me,” Oliver teased, his mouth brushing over Marcus’.

“You’re right. I don’t like you,” Marcus shot back before meeting Oliver in another heated kiss. 

When they finally reached Marcus’ flat, tangled limbs and lost clothing led the two men into a night of whirlwind fantasies before having to wake up to the harsh reality of morning. 

Marcus woke alone, 

A hastily written note on his bedside table was all that was left of Oliver, along with memories of questionable choices. This wasn’t what he wanted. It couldn’t be. 

Marcus tried to forget about it, but all he could see was Oliver. All he could think about was the next time they would see each other. 

It was agony not knowing where Oliver was, what he was doing. So many nights, Marcus would find himself far from sleep, staring at the ceiling with the man on his mind. It was as if nothing else existed. 

The buzz of his phone pulled Marcus from his thoughts and he picked it up with a sigh. In an instant, he perked up. It was Illusion. Though it took Marcus a while to come around, he found he enjoyed Illusion’s company. He couldn’t put a finger on why however, let alone how he ended up with his number. 

An invitation to fly was all Marcus needed to dress and head out into the breezy night. Fastening his mask on, Marcus breathed in the night air deeply, almost giddy with excitement for what the night would bring. Diving head first out of his window, Marcus closed his eyes as everything faded away. 

The wind whistled past his ears, the ground growing ever closer, yet a smirk remained on his face. There was no fear, no tightness in his stomach. With a contented sigh, Marcus summoned the strength within himself and his body snapped upwards, suspended in the air. 

The citizens on the ground didn’t notice his presence or perhaps they didn’t care as Marcus weaved between buildings, zooming around the bustling city. 

Landing on the domed roof of the library, Marcus stared out at the lights, reminding him of his responsibility, his gift. 

“Fancy meeting you here, Spectre.”

Marcus turned to the voice, unable to stop his smile as he was greeted by a familiar masked face. “You’re the one who invited me out, Illusion.”

“Ah, so you do like me!” he beamed, joining Marcus alongside the rooftop edge. 

“Just because I remember your name, doesn’t mean I like you,” Marcus scowled. 

Undeterred, Illusion leaned against the railing, focused on Marcus and nothing else. “Well, when I first showed up in the city, I was sure you were going to have my head.”

“That’s because this is my city to protect,” Marcus butted in. “I was doing just fine before you came along.”

“But isn’t this fun?” Illusion grinned. “You, me, the threat of the end of the world?”

Marcus pursed his lips. He wouldn’t admit it outright, but he did admire the other man. They were both reckless in their own manner, utilizing their powers in unorthodox ways. It kept their rivalry, or perhaps friendship, strong and Marcus found himself looking forward to the next encounter with Illusionist. 

“I suppose,” is all Marcus offered, but it was enough for Illusion. 

He gave Marcus a friendly nudge before turning about to look at the city as well. The two fell into a contented silence, a warm breeze passing between them. This was nice. The calm moments in between saving the world were cherished. Here, with Illusion, he didn’t have to put on a show. He could even take off his mask if he wanted. 

The thought had struck Marcus time and time again. Here he was, in a tangled web with Illusion, yet this was the one person he trusted, the one that understood the world as he did. 

“You’ve got that look in your eyes again,” Illusion teased, breaking Marcus from his trance. 

Marcus turned his face away with a huff. “What look?”

The hand on his cheek sent a jolt up Marcus’ spine and he didn’t dare look at Illusion. Despite his inner protests, Marcus allowed the other man’s hand to guide him until they were facing each other directly. 

“That one of longing. Wondering what our lives would be like had we not been given our powers.” 

Illusion read him like a book and Marcus caved easily. As he stared at Illusion, Marcus watched his face inch closer, anticipation rising in his chest. His mind screamed at him to run, his heart told him to stay, so Marcus froze, letting Illusion do as he wished. 

That was, before a siren shook the air, breaking the spell between them. 

“Fuck,” Marcus swore, staring at the beacons. “Guess that’s us.”

Illusion replied with a heavy sigh, jumping off the roof first and flying into the night. Marcus was quick to follow, but his thoughts were a flurry, jumping from one thing to the next. He had to focus on the mission–whatever it was–but all he could see was Illusion. Illusion’s touch, his strength, his gentle demeanor, it was all rolled up into one frustrating man that Marcus couldn’t be without. 

“Spectre!” Illusion shouted past the wind. “The metal factory!”

Marcus furrowed his brows, ticking off villains in his head. The factory had been abandoned for years, but it was not without its valuables, left behind as its doors shut for good. 

“Of course,” Marcus muttered to himself as he veered off to the right. 

With Illusion a few buildings away from him, the two shot off, following the cacophonous booms and shakes. Police were circling the building, but none could make their way in, not with the entrance blocked by a massive sheet of ice. Diving in through a large shattered window, Marcus crouched down on the steel walkway, watching the sparks that flew as the villains cut through metal with mechanical saws.

“Looks like Helix is back in town,” Illusion whispered right next to Marcus’ ear and nearly caused Marcus to scream.

He shot a glare at Illusion before turning back to the scene, eyeing the workers that moved quickly from the cut metal to the moving trucks. 

Steadying his breath, Marcus embraced the shiver in his body as he became invisible. He let his fingers graze along Illusion’s hand, a small laugh bubbling up as the man tensed. Then with a nod, Illusion followed Marcus’ lead forming several images of himself that then scampered off in different directions.

“On three?” Illusion checked.

“On three,” Marcus replied and climbed over the railing. 

The countdown began and Marcus rushed at the closest workers, taking a few down with precise kicks and punches. The chaos began, yells echoing in Marcus’ ears as the enemy helplessly tried to hit him. Teasing them, Marcus appeared for a moment before vanishing again, sprinting toward the main target. Once Helix was taken out, the rest would be a piece of cake.

“Twenty!” illusion boasted as another one of his mirror images sent someone flying.

“Rich, considering I’ve got thirty five!” Marcus retorted.

He hadn’t been counting but he wasn’t going to let Illusion get the best of him. Smashing another face into the wall next to him, Marcus spotted his opening.

With Helix distracted, Marcus shot off, landing a blow across his face. The masked man stumbled back, shooting out a beam in Marcus’ direction. It grazed past Marcus’ ear, a ringing shaking his eardrums as he stumbled to the side. Just as he was ready to grab at Helix, one of Illision’s clones slammed into the villain, sending him to the ground. 

It was time to breathe a sigh of relief, even when the clone was blasted away. Then, Marcus saw the blood, the gaping wound on Illusion’s shoulder. All clones dissolved away, leaving the true Illusion bleeding out. Face contorting into anger, Marcus grabbed hold of Helix, his emotions letting his camouflage fall. The two struggled, punches and kicks thrown along a steel walkway. Blind rage fueled every one of Marcus’ moves yet no matter how hard he fought, Helix wasn’t going down. The mocking laughter from Helix cut Marcus down to his core, tearing down his morals one by one. Justice be damned, Marcus summoned a deep power within himself, stealing the very breath from Helix. As the villain struggled to breathe, Marcus held him up until Helix passed out before throwing him to the side. 

Chest heaving, Marcus thought to do more, but remembering Illusion shook him from his onslaught and he rushed over to the other hero. His body lay crumpled on the ground, blood painting the ground around him and he was still. Holding a hand to the wound on Illusion’s shoulder, Marcus lifted up his head, panic rising in his chest.

“Don’t fall asleep, back up is almost here,” Marcus tried to reassure, a lump forming in his throat. 

At this, Illusion’s eyes cracked open and he smiled weakly. “Worried about me?” Blood dribbled from the corner of his lip and he hacked up another clot, sending more red streams down his chin. 

“Of course I am!” Marcus exclaimed. Biting down on his lip, Marcus ignored the sting in his eyes, the ache in his chest. “I can’t lose you too.”

Confusion and heartbreak swarmed in Illusion’s eyes before he let out another grave laugh. “Never thought I’d hear that from you. Well, just in case I don’t make it…”

With all of his strength, Illusion dragged a hand up to his face and pulled his mask down. When familiarity hit Marcus square in the gut, he reached for his own mask, only to find his face bare, his identity lost between fighting Helix and rushing over to Illusion. There was no going back now. All Marcus could do was squeeze his eyes shut, pull Oliver close until their foreheads were touching. 

“Should’ve known it was you,” Marcus bit, his voice breaking on the last word. 

“Keep my secret?” Oliver rasped and Marcus nodded, fastening his mask back on for him. 

Sirens rang in his ears, lights flashed all around, and Marcus was numb as Oliver was taken from his arms, rushed away to the hospital. All he could focus on was the beat of his own heart, his struggle to understand all that had happened. 

He didn’t know how he had missed it. From the taunts on the field to their teasing as they saved the world again and again, it should’ve been obvious that Oliver had always been at his side, yet Marcus almost didn’t want to believe it. They were rivals, different as could be. Or maybe that was the lie Marcus tried to tell himself. He thought back to their night together, the attraction shared between them. Surely that wasn’t made out of hatred at all. 

When a violent shove to his shoulder snapped him to attention, Marcus glared at a medic fussing over him, mistaking his presence as an innocent bystander than one who had helped with the fight.

Marcus blinked and in a second all his senses came back full force. He tried to get to his feet only to find strong arms helping him up. 

“Easy there,” the medic warned, her face wrought with worry. “What were you doing here anyway?”

“I...homeless. Was going to stay the night here until all this happened,” Marcus stuttered through his lie. “Is Illusion…?”

“Not too sure, but he’s not one to go down easily. Do you need help finding a place to stay tonight?” The medic’s grip was still tight on Marcus and he gave a quick shake of his head.

He had to get to the hospital. Pretending he needed some water, Marcus then made his get-away. He shot off into the night, all but crashing into the hospital lobby when he finally got there. Several secret codes and barred doors later, Marcus finally made it to the room that held Oliver, several robotic machines crowded around the bed and fussing over him. 

Brown hair edged into his peripheral and Marcus waited for the doctor to speak first. 

Dr. Granger had set up this facility all on her own, specializing in healing those with powers, protecting their identities while under medical care. 

“Illusion had overused his powers, made too many clones,” Dr. Granger spoke, gentle but straightforward. As usual, her mind-reading took care of Marcus having to speak. “His body is finally catching up, but he will need to recover here for a few days.”

Nodding his understanding, Marcus then found himself with a decision he never had to make before. He could stay overnight, be there when Oliver awoke the next morning. Then again, they weren’t anything more than acquaintances. He didn’t owe anything to this man. 

Except, he did. 

Accepting himself, his powers, had been a nightmare for Marcus. He was ready to throw it all away when he first ran into Illusion. The man had been an annoyance, bugging Marcus with incessant questions. It was only with reluctance that Marcus allowed Illusion to see him for nights after that. 

Then, like a switch, everything changed. Marcus was happy, smiling, amongst all the competitions between himself and Illusion. Life was turning for the better and Marcus had fallen for the hero and the man behind the mask.

With a nod to Dr. Granger, Marcus edged into Oliver’s room, careful to not get in any robot’s way as he sat in the corner. Minutes passed by like an eternity and when the final robot left the room, Marcus dragged his chair over to the bedside and stared at Oliver’s sleeping figure. 

Had he not seen the wound, it would appear that Oliver was just resting after a hard fight. If only it was just so. Marcus sank, his worry tiring him as he replayed everything in his mind. Yes, Oliver would be okay, but how soon that would be was uncertain, eating away at Marcus’ heart. Surely there was something he could have done. He had almost taken care of Helix before everything went to hell. 

Exhaustion eventually took over and Marcus was woken suddenly by the clearing of a throat. Sitting up straight, Marcus hastily rubbed his eyes, wincing a little at the sunlight that poured into the room. When his vision focused, he was met by Oliver staring at him, the corner of his mouth quirked. The man didn’t look much better from the night before, pale face, tired eyes, but at least he was alive. 

“Sleep well?” Oliver rasped out. 

“No,” Marcus couldn’t help retort and then readjusted in his seat. “How are you?”

Oliver sighed, a slight hitch in his breath. “Could be worse. Been worse.”

Marcus could only imagine, nodding his understanding. An awkward silence filled the air causing Marcus to look away. Where to go from here was a mystery and Marcus was too tired to solve it. 

Both men wore matching frowns, trailing into their own thoughts. Marcus shot back to the one night stand, his muddled feelings hitting him like a truck. He liked Illusion. He didn’t hate Oliver. There was no need to keep him at arm’s length. Not anymore. 

“Alright,” Oliver spoke with conviction, shaking Marcus from his trailing mind. “What if after I’m all healed up, we meet up for drinks? One drink. You as Marcus, me as Oliver.”

“No masks, no secrets,” Marcus muttered to himself. 

“Exactly.”

Biting his tongue, Marcus summoned the courage to look at Oliver. His eyes were gentle, shining, and through everything, the past, the present, Marcus’ chest ached, his stomach churned. 

It wouldn’t hurt to try. 

Maybe, in this world of unknowns, Marcus could finally be okay. He could have a friend, something more, who truly understood the complex workings of a superhero’s life.

As Oliver’s hand reached out to him, Marcus met him halfway, their fingers lacing together. They didn’t have to solve everything now. 

For the moment, they could just linger and let their minds wander into the what-if’s that would soon await them outside of this little room.

**Author's Note:**

> A gift for acespacejay on tumblr!!!
> 
> Come find me on [the blue hellsite](http://flintwoodandco.tumblr.com)


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